THE SOLITUDE OF PRIME NUMBERS
Italy, 2010, 118 minutes, Colour.
Alba Rohrwacher, Luca Marinelli, Isabella Rossellini.
Directed by Saverio Costanzo.
This is an Italian drama about two individuals, loners, living in their own solitude, sometimes interconnecting, perhaps a little dependent on each other.
The setting is northern Italy, the opening in 1984, when the two individuals are small, one at school with his twin sister who has a mental state, causing her to cry out in anguish at unexpected times, the other, an only child, skilled at skiing, but never enough for her ambitious and demanding father.
The film does not have a linear narration. Rather, it moves backwards and forwards in time, building up a portrait of the two, but indicating the different memories that they had about their past. The film focuses on their teenage years, he very clever but, she having been injured in a ski accident, both of them mocked by their fellows at school.
There are also some sequences with them as adults, he having gone to Germany and excelled in science and gaining a research position, she a photographer, staying at home, but sending a message to him to come to visit her. The film is open-ended.
The film was co-written and directed by subarea Costanzo, director of the striking film about Palestinians, Private. It is also a pleasure to see Isabella Rossellini in an Italian film as the twin’s mother.
Prime Numbers have a solitude because they are individual, divisible only by themselves and buy one.
1. Title, its tone, the focus on solitude, loneliness, aloneness? The focus on Prime Numbers, divisible only by themselves or by one? Individuals?
2. The Italian settings, the city, homes, school, parties? The snow and mountains and skiing? The weather, the significance of fog? The contrast with Germany, science and research? The musical score?
3. The narrative style, the introduction with the concert, Michaela and her screaming, Mattio and his caring for his sister? The background of the family? The introduction to Alice, her parents, skiing, her achievement, pressure from her father?
4. The narrative style, the continued shifts of time, forwards and backwards, Alice’s story, Mattio’s story, Alice’s story, flashes of memory for each of the central characters? Yet building up the linear narrative?
5. Mattio’s story, his twin sister, the disability, her screaming at the play, in class? His not wanting to take her to the party, leaving her in the park, the rain, her disappearance, his being upset? The picture in the family home, his mother explaining to Alice about Michaela? His ability at school, topping his class? Reclusive? His friendship with Dennis? Shy, approached by Alice, his resistance, going to the party, going upstairs, the issue of kissing him, returning, Dennis’s disappearance, his search for him? At school, his success, the teenager, relationship with his mother? Her pressuring him, to have friends? Alice inviting him to the wedding, his reluctance, going with her? The kiss? The issue of his going to Germany? His leaving, success, the award and his shyness? Eating alone in the dining room? The message from Alice, absent for seven years, returning by plane, going to see her, his response, falling asleep, in the park, her touching his hair? His future with Alice, in himself, his work?
6. Alice, at home, her demanding father, wanting her to be the best, pressurising her to ski in the snow, the fog, reluctance, the injury? As a teenager, her limping, the girls mocking her, the bullying, the role of the older? Viola showing an interest, taking her shopping, the clothes, the issue of the tattoo, her father’s vehement refusal? Going to the party, the issue of the kiss, swearing Mattio to silence, Viola turning on her, her falling on the floor, everybody laughing? With Mattio, wanting him to cut off the tattoo? Her growing up, assisting the photographer, going to the wedding reception, Viola, her speech? Inviting Mattio, his dressing up, going, in the room by themselves, on the periphery? The years passing, becoming desperate, setting the message to Mattio, the communication with his mother? Her despair, in the supermarket, seeing the ghost of Michaela? His return, preparing the sandwich, going to sleep, his disappearance, in the Park, a touching him?
7. The teenagers, callous, mockery and bullying? Viola, sex, boyfriend, peer pressure, turning her charm on and off? Supporting Alice, ridiculing her? The wedding and her speech?
8. Alice’s parents, the distant mother, the demanding father? Mattio’s parents, his mother, her concern about Michaela, her concern about Mattio?
9. A film about special children, the treatment? The effects of bullying, turning them in on themselves? The experience of solitude and trying to break out of solitude? Mattio and Alice as prime numbers?
